Desk.



H. J. WILLIAMS.

ES APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26. 1916.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

lnvenTor. Henry J. Williams.

Mk6vvt rkf AT fys.

- which when unloc ed will automatically UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J'. WILLIAMS, 0]? BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DESK. g I l 1 2 8,82] Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d M 13 1917 Application filed January 26, 1916. Serial No. 74,499.

To all wlwm, it may concern:

Be IllfkIlOWIl' that I, HENRY J. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at rookline, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Desks, of which the following description, in co nection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in desks and the principal object thereof is to provide a means, such as a other receptacle, for utilizing a material portion of the space beneath the desk and beyond the reach of the knees of the user, which may conveniently be drawn forward by the foot to render \its contents easily accessible.

Another object of the invention is to provide adjustable means to limit the forward movement of the receptacle with means to prevent the contents thereof from being Another object of the invention is to p vide a filing case having an open front, and located in the manner above described with means for securin the files fr Other objects of the invention will more fu 1y appear from the following descripthe accompanying drawing and will annexed claims.

preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a front view of a desk embody- 111g my invention.

Fig. 2. is a vertical transverse median section of the same illustrating of the desk about to withdraw the filing normal position, and

showing themeans for connecting one end device to the wall of the file case. v

The usual type of ofiice desk, such as that illustrated in the drawing comprises a top having a plurality of end supports confiling case or sisting of forward legs 2, 3, and 4, 5, and (airrespondlng rear legs, the forward legs being connected to therear legs by similar vertical panels 6, suitable cross pieces 8 connecting adjacent end legs and guideways belng provided to support the usual banks of rawers 9. An intermediate drawer 10 is sometlmes provided to occupy a portion of the space between the banks of drawers 9, which is necessarily left free to accommodate the knees of the user.

Heretofore the remainder of this central space has usuall been utilized only of th1s space by active files or other records. d conditions sanitary e convenient utilization of a considerable he space beneath the central portion of the desk is of very material value. v

The present occupation of' ceptable is in the cabinet having a bottom 11, ends 12, l3, a back 14, and a top 15, the f ront presenting an opening exten ing the full width of the cabinet.

. a rectangular form of a eleat 16 extend mg across the, bottom 11 ofthe height of standard 1 files so that the latter may be readily cabinet is provided. to revent the files from being thrown out of t 1e open front of the cabinet if the same is sud enly arrested as it is being drawn out. In such case the top 15 will prevent the overturning of the file as will be readily understood.

The bottom of the cabinet preferably is supported upon horizontal rails or guideways 17 secured to the front and back posts and to the panels connecting the same, a thin strap of metal 18 such as brass, being interposed between the back of the rails and panels to prevent the sides of the-cabinet from scratching the finished surfaces of the panels, as they slide.

A transverse ar 19, secure to the ends of the rails or to the legs in front of the vertical plane of the back of the desk desirably is provided to prevent the cabinet from being pushed out of the rear side of the desk and a chain strap or other flexible member 20 may be adjustably connected to the bar 19 and to the cabinet to limit the forward movement thereof so that it cannot accidentally be entirely withdrawn from the desk or to such an extent as to strike the knees of the user.

A cleat 21 or other projecting device desirably is attached to the under side of the cabinet to provide means whereby the cabinet may be drawn forward by the foot of the user. This cleat may if desired be covered with or composed of relatively soft material which will not injure the sugface of the shoe of the user.

It is desirable that such a compartment although open in front be provided means for preventingthe removal of files by unauthorized persons and further that this device he so constructed that when released it will not obstruct the open front of the cabinet. A convenient locking means is illustrated herein which comprises two bars preferably of metal 22, 23, one being provided with a slot 24 and the other with a staple 25 to form a hasp adapted to be secured by a padlock 26 or other suitable looking device. The bars 22 and 23 are secured to the forward edges of the ends 12, 13 of the cabinet by a pivotal-connection, a convenient form which is illustrated herein comprisin a U-sha ed extension 27 upon the end 0 each pair adapted to engage a U- shaped member 28 which desirably may project from a metallic channel shaped binding member 29 embracing the edges of the end wall 12, 13, the binding member 29 being secured thereto by screws 30, rivets or other suitable fastenings. a

It will be obvious that other pivotal connections may readily be provided, the essential feature being that the bars 22, and 123 are so supported that when released from locking engagement they will hang down vertically from the end of the cabinet so as not to interfere with the removal 0 the files. J

It will be understood that the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated herein is illustrative and not restrictive an that various modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and by Letters Patent is;

1. In a desk comprising a top and end supports therefor, a cabinet materially narrower than the width of the desk slidably mounted beneath the top of said desk and normally positioned beyond the reach of the hand of the user, the bottom of said cabinet being supported a sufiicient distance from the floor to permit the insertion of the foot of the user therebeneath, means depending from the bottom of the cabinet having a surface which will not injure the surface of the shoe of the user, adapted to be engage by the toe of the shoe whereby the cabinet may be drawn forward by the foot to render its contents easily accessible.

2. In a desk comprising a top and end supports therefor, a file case materially narrower than the width of the desk slidably mounted beneath the top of said desk and normally positioned beyond the reach of the handof the user, the bottom of said file case being supported a sufficient distance from the floor to permit'the insertion of the foot desire to secure the shoe of the user, adapted to be engaged by the toe of the shoe whereby the file case may be drawn forward by the foot to render its contents easily accessible, means for limiting the forward movement of the file case and means adapted to engage the files in said file case and prevent the same from being thrown out when the file case is arrested.

3. In a desk comprising a top and end supports therefor, a file case materially narrower than the width of the top slidable at its bottom upon guideways located upon said supports at a distance from the floor sufiicient to permit the insertion of the foot of the user beneath the file case, to withdraw the same for easy access cross piece at the rear ends of said guideways, a chain connecting said cross piece to to its contents, 9.

said file case adapted to limit the forward/ terially narrower than the'width of said top nected to the ends vof said file case, and and having an open front slidably mounted means for locking together the adjacent ends beneath sa1d top and between said su ports, of said bars. 10 means adapted to be engaged by the ootof -In testimony whereof, I have signed my 5 the user for withdrawing said file ,case and hame to this specification.

means for securing the files in said file case comprising cotiperating bars pivotally -qon- HENRY J. WILLIAMS. 

